Video marketing has become an incredibly powerful tool as online video consumption is on the rise.
In 2024, 96% of Gen Z internet users watched digital videos. This number is expected to increase slightly to 96.8% by 2027.
The trend is so influential that even text-focused platforms like LinkedIn were quick to integrate video features.
So, if your prospects are spending a good amount of their day watching videos, then it’s time for you to create a video marketing strategy for your college or university.
Therefore, video marketing is an effective way to drive traffic to the website, generate leads, and increase enrolments.
But there's more to video marketing than just measuring views and improving search results.
That said, using the right video content type can help you build a more human connection with your prospects and earn their trust.
And if you’re wondering where to start, this guide will take you through higher education video marketing with different video content types and real-life examples.
Video Marketing Takeaways
- Showcase the campus environment, facilities, and unique spots that make the institution special.
- Share experiences from current students or alumni to build trust and relatability.
- Introduce professors and staff to give students a sense of the learning environment and support available.
- Highlight specific academic programs, including curriculum, career paths, and specializations.
- Highlight potential careers related to specific programs and feature alumni success stories.
- Outline available financial aid options, scholarships, and application processes.
- Capture extracurricular activities, clubs, sports, and social life to attract students interested in a well-rounded experience.
- Ambient hero videos present the personality of your institution and are used on the hero section (generally the first fold of the homepage).
- Capture important events, seminars, or workshops to emphasize community engagement.
- Higher Education Video Marketing Strategy (6 Steps of a detailed strategy for college and university).
- Best Practices for Video Marketing for Higher Education.
13 Types of Higher Ed Marketing Videos
There are lots of types of videos for colleges and universities to create—dozens of them, in fact.
Video is a much more versatile medium than you might think.
Therefore, the types of videos you choose should match your specific goals, needs, and marketing strategies.
Following are the best Higher Ed marketing videos that every Ed marketer must try:
- Campus Tour Videos - Showcase the campus environment, facilities, and unique spots that make the institution special.
- Student Testimonial Videos - Share experiences from current students or alumni to build trust and relatability.
- Faculty & Staff Introduction Videos - Introduce professors and staff to give students a sense of the learning environment and support available.
- Program Overview Videos - Highlight specific academic programs, including curriculum, career paths, and specializations.
- Virtual Classroom Sessions - Offer prospective students a taste of the online or in-person class experience.
- Career Pathway Videos - Highlight potential careers related to specific programs and feature alumni success stories.
- Admissions Guide Videos - Walk students through the admissions process, deadlines, requirements, and tips.
- Brand Anthem Videos - These videos often feature straight-forward, direct communication from a narrator with an authoritative voice. Brand pillars and mission are often conveyed in a brand anthem.
- Financial Aid & Scholarship Explainers - Outline available financial aid options, scholarships, and application processes.
- Student Life Videos - Capture extracurricular activities, clubs, sports, and social life to attract students interested in a well-rounded experience.
- Ambient Hero Videos - These videos present the personality of your institution and are used on the hero section (generally the first fold of the homepage).
- Alumni Success Stories - Showcase alumni achievements and impact to build the institution’s credibility and appeal.
- Event Recap Videos - Capture important events, seminars, or workshops to emphasize community engagement.
Now, we will further explore all these types of video content with real-life examples so you can easily implement them in your college or university.
1. Campus Tour Videos
Campus tour videos showcase a college or university’s campus to give prospective students a virtual experience of the institution.
To create an engaging campus tour video, focus on clear visuals, a well-organized script, and upbeat background music.
To keep it relatable, use a student guide or narrator to provide a relatable perspective.
Moreover, a mix of drone footage and on-the-ground clips can enhance visual appeal.
Source: University of Oregon
For example, the University of Oregon created a virtual campus tour featuring aerial shots and student guides.
It highlighted the scenic campus, helping the university attract more out-of-state applications.
The video gave students who couldn’t visit in person a chance to explore the campus, leading to increased engagement and inquiries.
2. Student Testimonial Videos
Student testimonial videos feature real students sharing their personal experiences at a college or university.
Therefore, to create compelling testimonial videos, select students with diverse backgrounds and experiences and encourage them to talk about why they chose the college, their favorite aspects, and how the institution has helped them grow.
Moreover, natural settings, such as classrooms or outdoor spaces, can make videos feel genuine for better results.
Adding subtitles and dynamic visuals can also enhance engagement.
Source: Harvard Extension School - YouTube
Here’s an example of a student testimonial video series from Harvard Extension School, which features students discussing academics, extracurriculars, and opportunities.
These videos boosted engagement and inquiries by giving prospective students a relatable and honest perspective, making the institution more approachable and appealing to applicants.
3. Faculty & Staff Introduction Videos
Faculty and staff introduction videos showcase faculty members' expertise, teaching styles, and personalities, making the institution feel approachable and student-focused.
To create these videos, feature faculty discussing their expertise, teaching methods, and how they support student success.
Moreover, you can share videos of campus staff, highlighting their roles in creating a positive campus experience.
Similar to Marymount University, you can provide insights into courses via faculty.
Source: Marymount University
In this video, the School of Education’s professor shares her academic passion, connection with students, and commitment to quality education.
Moreover, these videos strengthen the university’s reputation and help boost student enrollment, as applicants will feel more connected to the institution’s supportive community.
4. Program Overview Videos
Program overview videos highlight key details like curriculum, unique opportunities, and career outcomes, helping students evaluate how a program aligns with their goals.
Therefore, such content attracts more student, answers their common questions, supports their decision-making process, and guides them through their enrollment journey.
For example, Michigan State University’s First-Year Engineering CoRe (Cornerstone and Residential) Experience video introduces prospective students to its unique program designed for incoming engineering students.
Source: Michigan State University
In the video, MSU highlights how the program helps students transition to college life while building foundational engineering skills.
Moreover, similar to Michigan State University, you can showcase a specific program's state-of-the-art facilities.
5. Virtual Classroom Sessions
Virtual classroom sessions allow prospective students to experience the teaching style, interaction, and engagement level in an online or in-person setting.
With this type of video content, students can get a glimpse of the learning experience, helping them decide if your institution is the right fit for them.
Berkeley Executive Education, for example, uses a virtual classroom system designed to mirror the energy and collaboration of live classes.
Source: Berkeley Executive Education
The University showcases its complete step up via video to provide a rich educational experience, encouraging perspectives to enroll in their virtual classes.
6. Career Pathway Videos
Career pathways videos related to specific academic programs and highlight potential career opportunities.
For this, you can showcase real-world examples of graduates thriving in their careers, providing a tangible sense of what prospective students can achieve.
This type of content not only demonstrates the practical benefits and outcomes of enrolling in the program but also builds trust and credibility.
For example, North Shore Community College featured a reel on its Facebook page, providing a glimpse into the opportunities students can pursue after obtaining a surgical technician degree.
Source: North Shore Community College
Moreover, perspectives can see the direct link between the education provided and real career success, making this video an effective way to attract and engage future students.
7. Admissions Guide Videos
Admissions guide videos simplify the application process for prospective students by explaining steps, deadlines, and requirements.
From these videos, perspective students get a clear roadmap for submitting applications, including tips on crafting strong personal statements, gathering necessary documents, and meeting deadlines.
You can also consider the University of California, Berkeley, a great example of creating an admission video.
In this video, an admission officer outlines the complete application process, from selecting programs and departments to exploring career options.
Source: UC Berkeley
Moreover, the admission counselor answers frequently asked questions, reducing confusion and building confidence in prospective applicants.
As a result, this video helped streamline the process for prospective students, increasing the number of completed applications and reducing errors, ultimately making Berkeley more accessible for all.
8. Brand Anthem Videos
A brand anthem video, when done right, directly connects with the audience on an emotional level.
To do this, you need to know, at your core, what your brand stands for.
Some of the most effective brand anthem videos have minimal text and narration. Instead, they rely on the quality of their visual content to drive their message home.
UC San Diego’s brand anthem video is a compelling example of how colleges use storytelling to convey their values and mission.
Created as part of a brand refresh, the video captures the essence of the university’s passion for discovery, innovation, and exploration.
Source: UC San Diego
The concept focuses on students’ journeys from the unknown to the known, symbolizing how curiosity and the UC San Diego experience drive them toward impactful achievements.
Through thoughtful cinematography, the video transitions from reflective, slow-paced visuals to dynamic, energetic shots, representing growth and progress.
9. Financial Aid & Scholarship Explainers
Financial aid and scholarship explainer videos provide clear details about available financial assistance, eligibility criteria, application steps, deadlines, and tips for securing scholarships. Scholarship can also be leveraged as a powerful tool to attract and recruit new students.
This can include student testimonials about receiving aid, step-by-step visuals of the application process, and common mistakes to avoid.
For example, Arizona State University created an explainer video outlining its scholarship opportunities and financial aid process.
Source: Arizona State University
The video broke down funding options and included a walk-through of the application portal.
As a result, this approach made applying for financial aid easier, increasing the number of completed applications.
10. Student Life Videos
Video content about campus life is a growing trend.
"A Day in the Life of a Student" videos are especially popular because they give viewers an authentic, realistic preview of university life.
Small moments captured across campus amount to a big influence, and are often feel unscripted, as if the students themselves created them.
For this, universities can also collaborate with student ambassadors who are already familiar with the school and its culture and offer genuine insights into daily student experiences.
Similar to this video, where a student at Harvard University shows how the day goes by, the campus, the environment, and the overall experience.
Source: TikTok
Another great example is Wichita State University’s Student Life video, which offers a vibrant look at campus life.
The video showcases weekly activities and events, giving prospective students a glimpse of Wichita State's vibrant and engaging environment.
Source: Wichita State University
In addition, the video highlights social events, student organizations, and community gatherings, creating an inviting picture of life as part of Shocker Nation.
Therefore, it shows how students balance academics with fun and personal growth through diverse campus experiences.
The video effectively communicates that college life is about more than just academics—it's about building memories and connections.
11. Ambient Hero Videos
Imagine landing on a college website where the story begins not with words but with a vivid motion video—scenic campus views, bustling student activities, and key landmarks, all presented in a calm, captivating style.
That’s the magic wielded by videos in web design. Placed on homepages or admissions pages, they create an immediate emotional connection by showcasing the institution's environment and energy.
For example, the University of Texas at Austin uses an ambient hero video on its homepage to captivate visitors and showcase the vibrant campus atmosphere.
The video plays in the background as soon as users land on the site, featuring dynamic scenes of students interacting, iconic campus landmarks like the Tower, and moments that highlight the university’s energy and diversity.
Source: University of Texas at Austin
This subtle, visually engaging content immediately conveys UT Austin’s identity as a welcoming, innovative, and active community.
Such videos inspire prospective students and visitors, giving them a glimpse of what life at the university feels like.
12. Alumni Success Stories
Storytelling is a way for people to relate to each other, and it has long been used to get people to think beyond their viewpoints.
Therefore, creating alumni videos that highlight real alumni experiences and achievements allows prospective students to see the opportunities your institution offers and relate to their peers' successes.
Here’s an example from the McIntire School of Commerce alumni success stories through videos showcasing students who have gone on to achieve great things that can inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
Source: McIntire School of Commerce
And as people share these stories on social media, word spreads, and the school becomes known for its positive and inspiring culture.
13. Event Recap Videos
Event recap videos summarize key moments from campus events, such as orientation, open houses, or cultural festivals.
As they real interactions, energy, and excitement, repurpose these snippets into ads and sponsored social posts.
Moreover, you might decide to post the full video on YouTube but share smaller clips on Instagram and TikTok because attention spans and expectations vary depending on the channel.
Here’s an example of a recap video from the Festival of the Arts and Culture 2023 at Brandeis University.
Source: Brandeis University
The University shared these high-energy moments through YouTube shorts and other social media platforms.
The video showcases cheering crowds, interactive sessions, and performances, giving insights to viewers on the lively and inclusive atmosphere.
Higher Education Video Marketing Strategy
Video marketing strategy consists of brand promotion primarily through original videos, influencer videos, and video ads.
However, organizing your video content around specific themes or goals allows you to create a cohesive and compelling narrative that resonates with prospective and current students.
Therefore, each aspect must be supported by a series of videos telling a cohesive story that builds your brand and encourages engagement at every level of the student journey.
For this, you need a custom video marketing strategy that connects with your audience and achieves the desired outcomes.
Here’s an overview of the steps to create a video marketing strategy for your college:
- Setting your video goals
- Identifying target audience
- Adding brand elements
- Planning video content and topics
- Defining success metrics
- Allocating budget and resources
Now that you know where we’re headed, we’ll explain how to execute each step in detail.
1. Setting Your Video Goals
To build the right YouTube marketing strategies for higher education, you need to clearly define your goals.
Some potential goals for universities and colleges include building awareness regarding the new program, generating more enrolments, increasing conversion rate, building engagement through storytelling, and getting more engagement on social media channels.
Without a clear purpose, you'll be caught in a cycle of re-shooting, re-framing, and editing—wasting valuable time and resources.
2. Identifying Target Audience
Even before you start thinking about the content, you need to identify the right target audience.
Are you looking for:
- Local students
- International students
- Post-graduates, or
- Students who might be able to take part in university research programs?
There are different types of prospective students, and you need to create a student persona to achieve your goals.
Therefore, identifying the group will help you increase enrolments and return on investment (ROI).
3. Adding Brand Elements
Video marketing is a great tool for developing brand awareness and voice consistency.
Therefore, you must follow your brand guidelines, which include logos, colors, fonts, and key messaging points.
As a result, repeated exposure to consistent branding elements and messages helps reinforce the brand in the audience's minds, making it easier for them to recall and recognize your college.
Also, consider what emotion you want your story to impart to the viewer as you craft it. Do you want them to visit the campus? Should they feel inspired after watching the video?
With all these aspects, your content becomes instantly recognizable as part of your college’s brand.
4. Planning Video Content and Topics
It’s not enough to identify the target audience; you also need to know what they want to see and how you can produce the right video content aligned with their wants.
Whether you’re creating a virtual tour video, student success story, program information, on-campus life, student experience, faculty introduction, or admissions-related video content.
Moreover, don’t forget to plan video topics and ideas that get the most views and create interest among prospective students.
5. Defining Success Metrics
Aside from marketing tactics and creating content and videos, you’ll monitor KPIs like the number of views, watch time, comments, clicks, and more.
Here are five essential video marketing metrics to track:
- View Count: The total number of times your video has been watched.
- Engagement: Measures interactions like likes, comments, and shares on your video.
- Click-Through Rates (CTR): The percentage of viewers who clicked on a link or call-to-action within your video.
- Play Rate: The ratio of people who played your video compared to the total number who saw it.
- Completion Rate: The percentage of viewers who watched your video from start to finish.
These metrics provide valuable insights into your video's performance and audience interaction.
6. Allocating Budget and Resources
While producing a video may require fewer resources compared to traditional marketing methods, it can still be a time-consuming and expensive process.
Therefore, to allocate budget and resources, determine your total spending requirements, identify funds, and set a monthly budget cap.
You must plan what you’ll create or shoot in-house and what you may want to outsource.
Also, allocating a budget for paid promotions on platforms like YouTube and Instagram is crucial for reaching a wide audience.
Best Practices for Video Marketing for Higher Education
As people of all generations spend less time watching TV and more time online, video marketing is clearly the top choice.
According to Google, 3 in 4 adults report watching YouTube at home on their mobile devices and are 2x more likely to pay close attention while watching as compared to watching TV.
Thus, simple actions and considerations can help you grab the attention of prospective students and build brand awareness.
Here are the best practices for higher education video marketing:
- Addressing negative comments and feedback
- Maintaining consistency and quality of video content
- Measuring ROI and demonstrating value
Addressing Negative Comments and Feedback
No one likes getting negative comments or feedback, as the stakes are even higher when it comes to Higher Ed institutions.
Remember not to delay responding to negative comments, as the more time you let them go unanswered, the more time others will see that someone has complained about your university or college, and you haven’t responded.
Maintaining Consistency and Quality of Video Content
Consistency goes beyond simply posting regularly. Every video you make should come across as a well-thought-out, complete idea.
It should have a clear, creative vision rather than just random thoughts put together. Also, it can be achieved by scheduling in advance and producing in batches.
Most importantly, ensure the videos universities and colleges upload are high quality, as they will contribute to your brand image and shape the viewer’s first impression.
Measuring ROI and Demonstrating Value
If you are considering video marketing for higher education, estimate your ROI.
For this, you must measure and track the performance of your videos on pre-defined KPIs such as viewership, engagement, and conversions.
Beyond financial ROI, video marketing adds intangible value, such as:
- Improved brand perception: Use surveys or brand lift studies to measure viewer sentiment.
- Increased social proof: Track shares, comments, and testimonials.
- Enhanced trust: Measure repeat business or student retention
Moreover, data analytics and insights help you gain a deeper understanding of the value and show the impact of your video on your goals.
Conclusion
To sum up, having well-structured video marketing tactics for higher education can help you engage and build your audience.
From campus tours to program overviews, day-in-the-life videos, and event recaps, each type of video serves a unique purpose in guiding students through their decision-making journey.
Additionally, apart from simplifying the admission process, videos inspire prospective students to apply while learning about the university and its academic programs.
Therefore, you can present your college and university to the right audience through storytelling, compelling visuals, optimizing content for different platforms, experimenting with different video formats, refining your strategy, and focusing on what works best.
Related: Learn more about our higher education marketing agency services
As a result, when done correctly, videos can transform, educate, engage, and convert your prospective students.
Rayed Chaudhry
I’m Rayed, co-founder and COO at Think Orion. I spend most of my time refining how data, experimentation, and creative strategy work together to make marketing systems more effective. Most of my work centers on optimizing funnels and building scalable processes for universities, exam prep companies, and certificate programs to help them grow with clarity, consistency, and measurable impact.
